


The Homestead Stables

by LoneWolfWriter



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Angst, Background Nicole Haught/Shae Pressman, Equestrian Competitions, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Horseback Riding, Horses, Minor Character Death, Minor Waverly Earp/Champ Hardy, Murder Mystery, Puppies, Slow Burn, Waverly Owns a Stable
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 04:03:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16297805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoneWolfWriter/pseuds/LoneWolfWriter
Summary: Waverly Earp teaches kids to ride horses and train for equestrian.Nicole Haught is one of the parents to the kids that go to her ranch. The same parent that Waverly is crushing on, even though she is dating someone else.On top of that, after five years of estrangement, her sister Wynonna finally comes home. What Waverly doesn’t know about her little family reunion is that trouble always seems to find her sister.Or: a string of murders begin to happen as soon as Waverly’s older sister arrives home and will do what ever it takes to prove that Wynonna is innocent. Including in helping Sheriff Nicole Haught solve the case all the while, trying not to fall in love her.





	1. One

How do you react to seeing someone that you haven’t seen in months, years even? How do you respond when they are standing on your front doorstep expecting everything to be fine when the last time you’ve heard from them was almost a year ago, and it was nothing but a postcard? That was what Waverly Earp was facing at the moment. Her sister, Wynonna, whom she hadn’t seen in over five years was standing in the doorway of her ranch-style farmhouse.  
  
2,027 days or five years, six months and 20 days since Waverly had last seen her older sister. It was just after her twenty-first birthday and the pair celebrated it in a bar. Wynonna tried her hardest to get her little sister drunk, but the young woman was adamant on staying sober so she could get up early and take care of her animals. (A day or so later, the older sister packed up her bags and got on the bus without so much of a goodbye to the family she was leaving behind)  
  
At the time, Wynonna thought it was preposterous and told Waverly to hire a bunch of ranch-hands to do the work for her. Waverly, on other the hand, didn’t like that idea at all. She had a vision, and she planned on seeing it through. Now, five and half years later, the dream she had when she was sixteen, was in full working order.    
  
Waverly was proud at how far she had come in just a short amount of time and with almost no help at all. Her Aunt Gus, Uncle Curtis and family friend Shorty, helped to make her dream come true but also made sure to take a step back when they knew she didn’t need it. They all knew Waverly was capable of doing anything and they knew that telling the girl she couldn’t do something only put fuel to the fire to make it happen.  
  
Back when Waverly was eighteen, she found herself at a horse auction for the first time. The brunette had been saving up money for a couple of years from doing different jobs around the Ghost River Triangle to be able to buy her first pair of horses. Waverly already had one back at home that she had received as a birthday present from her aunt and uncle when she turned thirteen. It was all she asked for, for four years straight and thankfully a local farmer had a young foul born that spring and promised the McCready’s that Waverly could have her.  
  
After buying, what she thought was the best team of horses she could find, Waverly set off on the next part of her dream. Putting up flyers all over Purgatory that she was giving horse lessons to kids at a reasonable price. But it wasn’t just teaching kids how to ride a horse, it was also (if the kids wanted) training them how to compete in equestrian competitions. Apart from all that, it gave Waverly the time to practice as well, while showing her students the technics at the same time.    
  
Snapping out of her own memory trance, the young woman felt fur brush along her leg and heard a soft growl. Waverly looked down and saw black hair starting to rise off her dogs back. It wasn’t entirely unusual for the animal to growl but when there was a woman with a hair like a mare with a Hollywood stylist, standing in his home and he didn’t know that person, the dog became quite protective, especially with Waverly right next to him.  
  
“Jesus Christ on a stick, baby girl, I didn’t realize you had a black bear for a pet.”  
  
“His name is Gunner, and he’s a Burmese Mountain Dog.” Waverly scratched behind Gunner’s ear to let him know it was okay.  
  
“Could have fooled me,” Wynonna mumbled under her breath.  
  
“Not that I’m not happy you’re here, Wynonna, but why are you?”  
  
“Can I not come to visit my baby sister?”  
  
“It’s been over five years since I’ve last seen and heard from you. The least could’ve done was forewarned me about your arrival.”  
  
“Since when have I ever done that, kid?” The older Earp walked over to her sister, dropping her one bag that was slung over her shoulder, on the floor.     
  
Waverly took the initiative of drawing Wynonna in for a hug. It was awkward and very one-sided. The younger woman knew her sister wasn’t an affectionate person and wasn’t one to show her emotions, so it was her little gift to herself by making Wynonna uncomfortable. After a couple of seconds, the older Earp finally gave in and tapped Waverly’s shoulder twice.    
  
When they broke apart, Wynonna took a couple of steps back and actually looked at her little sister to see how much she’d change over the few years. “Baby girl, I see you’ve grown out your… hair.” Her hands were just below her breasts and acting as if she was cupping them.    
  
Waverly smirked and let the comment slide. “So, I have to be out in the stables. You wanna come join me and check out the place?”  
  
Wynonna lightly laughed. “Sure, let's see what you’ve been up too lately, baby girl.”

  
… 

  
With an early head start on the day, especially for Wynonna, the two Earp sisters went out to the barn. Most of the horses were still in their stales waiting to be feed and led out into the paddock. The middle Earp was astonished by how many horses were inside and the size of the barn itself.  
  
Wynonna had no idea what she was walking into, and quite honestly, she didn’t have the faintest of clues of what she was getting herself into as well. She knew her little sister loved horses but the fact that she had followed her dreams and made them come true, the darker brunette was pretty impressed. Unfortunately, though, Waverly’s love for horses was ten times the amount than what Wynonna felt for them. The middle Earp really didn’t like the animals and always felt like they were out to get her.  
  
As the two walked down the hall, Waverly stopped and opened one of the doors. Inside there were stacks of grain bags and wooden along the walls. On one side, there were small, different colored buckets and a couple of grain scoops hanging up. The brunette grabbed three of the pink buckets, one of the scoops and walked over to the barrels. After filling the containers, the youngest Earp handed one of them to Wynonna and motioned her to follow her.  
  
“So I know this might sound like a dumbass question,” Wynonna started as she walked beside her sister. “But are all eight of these horses yours?”  
  
“Sixteen.” Waverly corrected. “And no, three of them are personally mine, but riders are allowed to ride them, and seven of them belong to the stables. The other six horses belong to the riders whose parents think its best to keep them here instead of there own place. Which is absolutely fine and also makes sense, since those riders are here every day... what?”  
  
Waverly stopped in front of one of the stales and was greeted by a buckskin horse with a lopsided white star on his forehead. She looked over at Wynonna who was staring back at her with a shocked look on her face. “What?” She asked again.  
  
“You have sixteen horses here? All I see are eight.”  
  
“Until I have enough money to add on to the stables, yes, there are sixteen, and the others are around the corner. The barn is a ninety-degree angle. I’m surprised you didn’t notice that when you drove up. It’s pretty hard to miss.”  
  
“So who is this that we’re feeding?” Wynonna asked hesitantly.  
  
“This handsome boy is Starlight, he’s a buckskin Trakehner gelding. I bought him at the auction a few years ago. Found out through the original owner what his name was, and decided not to change it.”  
  
While Waverly talked about the horse in front of her, Wynonna could hear the love behind each word. The soft expression on her little sister's face and even kinder eyes as the girl patted the animal while he ate, was a sight to see. The middle Earp felt a pang of guilt run through when she remembered a time when she thought Waverly’s dream, was just that, a dream, a fantasy. She never once imagined that the brunette would have been able to make it happen.  
  
After feeding the other two horses, one being, a silver, white-faced Holsteiner mare named Whiskey, and a white with black spots, Appaloosa gelding named, Stardust, Waverly started getting nervous. She continued to look down at her watch and glancing out to the driveway. Wynonna thought it was odd but decided to stay quiet. She was interested in finding out what was making her sister act the way she was.  
  
At precisely eight thirty, a navy blue Ford pickup parked in front of the house. Wynonna watched as her little sister straightened out her clothes and ran a hand through her hair. She started to realize what was going on when she was a tall red-haired woman climb out of the vehicle. Waverly walked out of the barn and gave the woman a smile and a small wave.    
  
The passenger side door opened and a small-er redheaded girl stepped out. She walked around the truck with a Dalmatian puppy in tow. The girl motioned to the other woman and said something that neither Waverly or Wynonna could here. All the younger Earp knew, was that the sight before her, was breathtaking.  
  
“Hey, Waverly!” The girl said.  
  
“Hi, Ronnie, who do we have here?” Waverly crouched down to pat the little puppy that started licking her face.  
  
“I don’t have a name for him yet, but I figured Stardust could use a friend that looked like him.” Ronnie chuckled. “I hope you don’t think that’s too presumptuous?”  
  
“Ronnie, I said to ask Waverly if it’s alright, not just to assume she’d be okay with it.” The other redhead shook her head.  
  
 “It’s okay, Sheriff Haught. I think Stardust will get a kick out having another animal around here with spots. Especially one that literally looks just like him. Why don’t you go get him out of the stale and put him in the field while I keep this little guy entertained?” Waverly smiled to the girl.  
  
“Thanks, Waverly. You’re the best!” Ronnie took off running inside the barn, leaving the three woman with the puppy.  
  
“Waverly, I’m really sorry. Ronnie was dead set on getting a Dalmatian, and after I bought him, she then told me where he was going to be. If I knew the puppy was supposed to be a gift for a horse, I wouldn’t have-”  
  
“It’s fine, Sheriff. Stardust could use another friend and believe or not, dogs and horses get along… Oh, Sheriff, this is my sister, Wynonna.” Waverly awkwardly pointed to the darker brunette beside her, who was still smirking at her.  
  
“It's nice to meet you." The Sheriff shook Wynonna's hand. "You can call me, Nicole, you know." She looked over at Waverly and smiled. "I am off duty and if its alright with you, Ronnie asked me to stick around today.”  
  
“Sure, why not. I don’t have a problem with it at all.” Waverly said all too quickly. _It’s not like I don’t have a big freaking crush on you! A day of teaching with my crush being here along with my sister, what could possibly go wrong?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you guys think. Also, I can take this story a couple of different ways. 
> 
> One: a romance murder mystery; or
> 
> Two: equestrian competitions; or 
> 
> Three: a romance equestrian murder mystery.
> 
> Let me know what guys would like to see.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly deals with a situation in her hayloft then begins her lessons with the riders. 
> 
> Waverly and Nicole give comforting words to each other.

Flustered and irritated. A combination Waverly never thought she would feel at the same time, but that was what she was at the moment. After she made sure all of the horses were feed by the riders, the brunette went back into her house to try and collect herself. The youngest Earp took a couple of deep breaths and exhaled them slowly. She had to get through the day without messing up.  
  
It seemed like an easy task, but when a particular Sheriff was involved, it most certainly wasn’t. Nicole Haught, sweet, caring, law-abiding, and an extraordinary mother, also known as Waverly’s crush, was the only person that would mess up her day all because the brunette always seemed to act like a klutz around her. The last time the redhead had stayed at the stable for the day, Waverly almost fell off her horse all because Nicole had given her a dimpled smile. It was enough to make the youngest Earp lose focus and not pay attention to the fact she was heading for one of the jumps that she had set up. Needless to say, she felt like an embarrassed fool for the rest of afternoon.   
  
“Baby girl, you got fifteen kids waiting outside for you!” Wynonna yelled out as she walked through the front door. “Also, your bear won't leave me alone!”  
  
“I’d correct you, but I get this feeling you are going to continue to call my dog a bear.”  
  
“See, you were always the smart one, sis.” Wynonna teased. “So, the Sheriff?” She asked and wiggled her eyebrows.  
  
“What about her, Wynonna?”  
  
“Well considering her last name is Haught and I’m dying to start using puns on her, I going to state the obvious here, and say, you like her.”  
  
“Would you like an award for that?”  
  
Wynonna scoffed. “I’ll take a sticker if you have one.”  
  
“You’re ridiculous.”  
  
“Now, what are you going to do about your crush?” The pair walked out the door together and started to head back towards the stable.   
  
Waverly tried her best to ignore her sister. It was hard to do since Wynonna was in her ear, ranting on and on about Nicole. The thing was, the youngest Earp couldn’t really do anything about her crush. She was already in a relationship, one that her sister probably didn’t remember about and so, in reality, the crush was merely that.  
  
“Look, Nonna, I’m going to do anything about it because I have a-”  
  
“Aaah.” A scream came from the barn. If Waverly didn’t know any better, she could have sworn it was Nicole’s. “Put some damn clothes on!”  
  
“Champ.” Waverly groaned. “I have a Champ, Wynonna.” She hissed before stomping her way into the barn.  
  
Wynonna wasn't entirely sure at what had just happened, but she had never seen her little sister that aggravated before. Waverly had her hands clenched to her side and a furious and hard look on her face. It made the darker brunette happy that she wasn’t on the receiving end on of whatever was about to happen.   
  
Following closely behind Waverly, the middle Earp was able to get a better look inside the barn. Much to her surprise, there was indeed section that had eight other horses. She wasn’t able to explore any deeper because her sister had made a turn that was directly in the middle of the barn, attached to the wall, and headed up a flight of stairs.     
  
At the top the stairs, Nicole was facing in them with slightly red cheeks and her eyes trained on the floor. Standing just beside her was Ronnie who was doing the same exact thing, only her face was even redder than her mothers. The difference was, the redness on both the redhead's faces had a different reason as to why Waverly was red in the face.   
  
Off to the side, standing behind piles of hay bales was a tall blonde haired man with full sleeve tattoos on both his arms and had a three dagger tattoo right below his chest that was in the middle. The man was trying to buckle his belt up and staggered a little when he went to grab for his shirt.    
  
“What the hell are you doing, Champ?” Waverly sounded off. “Why are you putting clothes on in the hayloft instead of the bathroom that is connected to the office?”  
  
“I over... slept, babe. I’m sorry. I didn’t think anyone would be up here so soon.” Champ apologized as he slipped his shirt on.  
  
“Do you realize it's almost seven-thirty in the morning and most, if not all my students will be here soon. They have obligations to take care of their horses, which is why they would be coming up here to get hay.” The man took a step forward and froze when his foot kicked a bottle. Sending it flying towards Waverly’s direction.  
  
“You brought alcohol into my barn?” Waverly growled. She leaned down and picked up the bottle, gripping it with enough force to shatter it in her hand. “Answer me, right now, Champ Hardy. Did you bring this into my barn?”  
  
“Yes! Jeez, Waves, all I wanted to do was relax and have a drink.” Champ whined.  
  
“Sheriff, can you do me a favor an escort him off my property, please.” The brunette never once blinked while she stared down her boyfriend.  
  
“What, babe, come on, don’t be like that. It was only one bottle.” Champ began to protest as Nicole turned around and walked over to him.  
  
“If one of my students picked this up and it still had contents in it, and they decided to drink it, who do you think is reliable if they drunk? Huh. This my land, my stable and if the kids here get hurt in any way, shape, or form, I’m the one who gets in trouble, Champ. Not to mention, if this bottle ended up in one of the horse's waters buckets, that student could get severely hurt because their horse is sick. Now get out of my barn, Champ.”  
  
Waverly turned around and walked back down the stairs. “Come on Ronnie, let's go see how Stardust and the puppy are doing?”

  
…

  
“Alright everyone, we are going to separate into two groups. I want my beginner riders over on the left side arena and my advance ones on the right. I have set up the jumps that I want you all working on for now. Please remember that if you are scared to do the jump, your horse will pick up on it. Listen to them as well. What is it that I always tell you guys about you and horse?”  
  
“We are a team!” All fifteen students said.   
  
“Correct!... Alright everyone, take turns and no discouragement. After you do a few different jumps and have lunch, how about we all go riding along the trails?”  
  
All the students cheered. The trails were open to everyone but mostly used by Waverly and the riders she trained. Most of the paths led to the outskirts of the big city, while others directed them to different parts of the Ghost River Triangle. The brunette marked all of them, having checkpoints and even went as far as putting up a map, so everyone knew where they were and how to get back.   
  
It was hard using the trails sometimes because most people would respect the boundaries of the riders. Like when people would purposely rev up their four-wheelers or dirt bikes just scare the animals. There were times when Waverly would have to march down to the police station and yell until her throat was hoarse to make her point across that it was dangerous and downright cruel, not to mention it could cause severe injuries to the riders. Thankfully, Randy Nedley, the former Sheriff of Purgatory, made it clear that if anyone deliberately spooked the horses and caused someone to get hurt, they would be in serious trouble. To what extent, the brunette wasn’t sure and didn’t care as long as they got punished, but she was grateful nonetheless that Nedley was willing to help make her, her horses and riders, safe.  
  
Waverly walked over to the fence and climbed up onto it. She sat down facing the arena and watched each rider perform their jumps. A sense of pride washed over knowing that she was the one to help build confidence in the girls and a couple of boys who took an interest in riding. It meant everything to the instructor to know that each kid got better and was always willing to help around the stables. To the youngest Earp, it honestly was the best feeling in the world.   
  
“Hey.” A soft but confidence voice came from beside the brunette. “Mind if I join you?”  
  
“Sure, Sheriff Haught, take a seat, or if you have no balance, I suggest leaning against the post.” Waverly laughed lightly. “It tends to be safer for everyone involved.”  
  
“Oh so,” Nicole put her hands on the top post. A mischievous look on her face. “And if I did-”  
  
“Don’t you dare, Nicole Haught!” Waverly held on to the post as tightly as possible. She braced herself for what might come, then heard the redhead chuckling. “You’re shit-ticket, you know that. I was about ready to jump off.”  
  
“Or fall off.” The Sheriff joked and immediately put her hands up in surrender when the brunette glared at her. “I’m sorry.” She quickly apologized then started laughing at Waverly’s childish antics.   
  
The youngest Earp couldn’t help but stick her tongue out at the Sheriff. She crossed her arms and pouted for a moment before relaxing back to the position she was in. Nicole had stood next to her to again and also crossed arms as she leaned against the wood-careful of not rocking it so the brunette wouldn’t actually fall.   
  
“I don’t know if I’ve ever said it before, but you’ve done a great job with this place. Veronica raves on and on about how much she loves riding and thanks me every day for letting her be here.”   
  
“She’s an exceptional kid. If I didn’t already know her story, I would have thought she was biologically yours. With that being said, you’re a great mom, Nicole. It shows every time I see Ronnie.”   
  
“You know that’s the first time anyone ever said that to me.”   
  
Waverly hesitated for a moment before asking a question in the uncharted territory. “Not even from Shae?”   
  
The name almost seemed foreign to both women. Shae Pressman, or as everyone knows now, Nicole’s very soon to be ex-wife. The woman was beautiful. Had dark creamy skin and black hair to match. She was a doctor and from what Waverly heard, an excellent one at that. The brunette didn’t know how the two met, but what she did know was that Nicole’s wife, didn’t want children.  
  
Nicole scoffed. “Yea... not even from her.” There was pregnant paused before the redhead continued. “You know Ronnie has never warmed up to her like the way she does to you... I mean, she’s eleven almost twelve now, and she’s been with us for a few years now, but has always had a hard time being around Shae.”   
  
“Has she even tried to spend time with Ronnie? Other than dropping her off here.”  
  
“Not that I’m aware of. Shae is always too busy working and continues to find a way to make sure she is… I thought maybe by being a foster mom, and bringing a kid that needed help, might change her mind, but all it did was piss her off more.”  
  
“I’m sorry, Nicole. For what’s its worth you de-”  
  
“Mom, I’m up next! Watch this!” Ronnie interpreted the conversation, as she rode past the two women.   
  
Everything was good until it wasn’t. Until a gunshot rang out and spooked all the horses. Making Whiskey turn in front of the four-rail high jump, and sending Ronnie over it without the horse underneath her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Champ is an idiot! Like always
> 
> Kind of a slow build up, sorry about that but it will be picking up.


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it has taken me a little bit to update this story, I've got a bunch of other stories that I am working on. At the end will be more info on my posting schedule.
> 
> You can also follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Cwinter1994) and [Tumblr](https://cwinter1994.tumblr.com/)

Everything was in slow motion, and then it was like time had just stood still. Waverly and Nicole watched in horror as Ronnie was flung over the jump and landed on her elbow; essentially breaking her fall. The sound of the girl screaming was loud enough to override the echo of the gunshot. It was piercing and downright horrific.  
  
The other riders managed to calm down their horses, and all vaguely heard Waverly yell out to bring them back in their stalls. The brunette jumped off the fence while Nicole climbed through it and hastily ran over to the pre-teen that was now cradling her arm. As the two got closer, they could see that Ronnie’s elbow was bleeding but unfortunately weren’t able to identify if it was broken or not. Well, not until…  
  
The Sheriff dropped to the ground next to her daughter. She went to grab the girls bleeding arm but stopped midway. “Ronnie, are you okay?” It was a rhetorical question. Nicole knew that, but on instinct, it was the first this that came to mind.  
  
Veronica’s face was tinted red from the pain, and her cheeks were stained with tears as new ones rolled down them. “I-I thi-think its broken!” Ronnie said through her sobs.  
  
“May I look at it?” Waverly had kneeled down beside the two redheads and pointed to the arm that Ronnie was holding.  
  
When the instructor received a small nod, she gently placed one hand on the girl's forearm and the other on her bicep. Waverly slowly opened the arm a little bit and then closed it to where it was. She repeated the process a couple more times, and each time took the forearm further away from the bicep. Ronnie had barely cried out, and the brunette sighed in relief.  
  
“What in the world is going on around here?” Gus and Curtis came running to the arena, joining the other riders who had gathered around the three women, to see if Ronnie was okay.  
  
Before answering her aunt, Waverly looked up and gave Nicole and Veronica, a reassuring smile. “Good news, it’s not broken. The bad news is, you should probably get some stitches, and you’ll have a bone bruise for about a week or two.” She turned to face Gus after the Sheriff gave a soft ‘thank you’ in reply. “To answer your question, someone fired a gun not too far from the Homestead, and it spooked all the horses. Unfortunately, Ronnie and Whiskey were about to make their jump when it happened, and Whiskey got spooked as well, turned away from jump and Ronnie went flying over it instead.”

At this point, Nicole was already helping her daughter to stand up, and youngest Earp followed suit. The brunette felt guilty that Ronnie had gotten hurt. Though it was an accident and truthfully, wasn’t her fault, she still felt like was. Veronica had fallen off a horse that belonged to Waverly, and it happened while training. On top of that, it was her land that the girl got hurt on.  
  
“Has that been there the whole time?” Curtis pointed to where the student had fallen.

Waverly turned her head in the direction that her uncle was pointing in and looked down. She brought a hand up to her mouth and gasped loudly. Sitting behind the post of the jump; just a foot away, was a rock that was the size of a basketball. The brunette was absolutely horrified. When the riding arena was set up, the entire area was cleared of rocks and boulders. There was no way a single rider, a horse, or herself was going to get hurt from the creations of mother nature.  
  
“Has that been there the whole time?” Nicole was mortified. Even she knew that Waverly was OCD about having no rocks inside any area where students were able to ride, minus the trails and paddocks.  
  
“I know for a fact that it wasn’t there when I set up the jumps early this morning.” Waverly could barely make eye contact with anyone. It was her job to make sure the arena was clear for riders, and she had failed them all.

What made it worst, was the fact that she didn’t even see the rock before her students starting training. The even worst part about the situation was that if Ronnie had been flung off closer to the rock, the results could have easily been very different and much more severe. Waverly tried not to focus on that factor and silently thanked God, or whatever was watching over them, that Nicole’s daughter didn’t end up worse than she already was. _Nicole_!  
  
“Aunt Gus, Uncle Curtis, mind staying with kids? We need to get Ronnie to the hospital so we can get her elbow stitched up.” Waverly was already leading both Nicole and Veronica out of the arena when she heard both her aunt and uncle yell out that would.  
  
As Nicole led her daughter to her truck, she watched the brunette take off towards the house. She was caught off guard a little bit when Waverly had said _we,_ as in _they_ were all going to the hospital. It was extremely rare for the students to get hurt while riding, but at the same time, the Sheriff should have known better than to think that the youngest Earp wouldn’t go to the hospital with her. Waverly always treated every rider like they were her own kids; no matter what how old they were.  
  
A minute later, the brunette ran back out of the house with Gunner trailing behind her. One hand is clenching onto a first aid kit while the other is holding her purse. She ran over to the truck and quickly threw the handbag in the passenger seat then redirected her focus on Ronnie, who was sitting in the back.  
  
“Let me put some gauze on this.” The instructor knew she should have done this as some as it happened, but a few minutes later wasn’t so bad. Thankfully the bleeding had slowed down since Gus had given Ronnie the hand towel that she brought outside with her; accidentally of course after hearing the gunshot.    
  
Wrapping the wound up as tightly and securely as possible, without hurting Veronica in the process, the youngest Earp tossed the first aid kit in the truck, next to her purse. She gave Gunner a soft command, and the dog went running off towards the barn, where the new puppy currently still was. Climbing into the vehicle, Waverly looked around the yard in hopes of finding Wynonna, but her older was nowhere to be seen. The only thing Waverly was focused on was getting Ronnie fixed up. The gunshot and whoever was responsible, along with figuring out where her sister went would have to come later.    
  
All of a sudden, Waverly felt very subconscious as she settled into the passenger seat. She had invited herself on what is supposed to be a ‘family matter’ and had completely forgot to ask Nicole how she felt about her tagging along. “I hope you’re okay with me coming with you to the hospital?” She said sheepishly while keeping her eyes trained on her feet.  
  
“I’m… ouch… glad that you are, Waverly.” Ronnie accidentally bumped her elbow but tried to give her best ‘happy’ smile when the brunette turned her head to look at her.  
  
Nicole started up the truck and began pulling out of the driveway, then proceeded to drive towards the hospital; faster than what was actually posted on the road at that time. “Hey…” The redhead laid her hand on top of Waverly’s knee, and also gave her a warm smile when their eyes locked on each other. “I’m fine with it, Waves. It shows that you care and since Ronnie obviously wants you here as well, then its twice the more reason that I’m glad you’re here with us.”  
  
Waverly tried her best to not over think about what Nicole had said about her joining. _Was there a double meaning behind it or was she just glad that I cared so more much about her daughter?_

…

  
The hospital visit was extremely awkward. Nicole ended up bumping into Shae in the emergency wing. The doctor also ended up being the one to stitch up Ronnie’s elbow and did everything she could do to put on a fake smile for her wife and foster daughter. When Shae saw Waverly enter the examining room with both of the redheads, she knew at that moment that repairing anything with her wife was utterly useless.  
  
Shae knew the Sheriff had a crush on the brunette, but Nicole always dismissed the idea when it came up in conversation a couple of times. Anyone with eyes could tell that the redhead was smitten with the riding instructor from day one even though she already had a wife, it only made the doctor realize that what she and Nicole had, was never going to be enough.  
  
Nicole had always wanted kids and a lifetime of happiness but Shae knew she could never give her wife that. Their marriage was a shotgun wedding at Vegas done in a drunken haze, and both wanted to try and make it work. For a little while, it had. The two were happy with the way things were until the redhead got the job offer of being a Sheriff in Purgatory; a small backwater town versus living the ‘high life’ in Chicago.

Moving to the small town and the Sheriff bringing home a kid just six months after living there was the start of their marriage beginning to crumble. Shae never thought that kids were ever going to be apart of the equation but after finding out the redhead was legally able to foster kids, a sick feeling hit the pit of her stomach, and she decided to ‘give it a try.’ Unfortunately, trying lasted all of a week and avoiding the young girl was a much better option.  
  
“And we are done.” Shae continued to force her smile at the two women and young girl in front of her.  
  
“Thank you for patching her up, Shae.” Nicole’s voice was pure and honest.  
  
“It’s what I’m supposed to do.”  
  
“Either way, thank you.”  
  
“Yea, thank you, Shae.” Both the doctor and Nicole slightly winced when Ronnie said ‘Shae’ instead of any version of ‘mom.’ A term that never was used towards the dark-haired woman, unlike the Sheriff who the young girl started calling mom or mommy after a year of living with her.  
  
“You’re welcome, Veronica. I’ll go get the forms so you can leave.”  
  
While the awkward and very uncomfortable conversation was happening, Waverly stayed quiet and tried to ignore the jealousy she was feeling. The doctor was unbelievably gorgeous, and she could see why Nicole would have taken an interest in the woman, but personality wise, the brunette got the feeling that Shae was all business and no pleasure. The air between them all only became thicker, and the tension got worst by the minute, especially when Ronnie spoke the woman’s name.  
  
At face value, the youngest Earp could see why Veronica didn’t get along with Shae or vice versa. Waverly could see the fake smile and could tell that the happiness the doctor was displaying was all for show, none of it was real and truthfully, anyone with eyes could definitely say that Shae was putting on a performance for her wife and ‘foster daughter’; though Nicole had adopted Ronnie a few years ago.  
  
As Nicole, Waverly, and Veronica all left the hospital, the brunette received a text message from Wynonna. One that made her skin pale and the feeling of wanting to empty the contents out of her stomach; which she ended up doing aways.  
  
[ **Wynonna** ]: _Found Chump with your sawed-off shotgun along one of the trials. Gus also found the bullet he fired off. Said it hit the side of the barn. Already called the cops. Sheriff Haught will probably be notified as well._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are a fan of 'And Then You Happened,' then you can skip over this or refresh your mind, up to you.
> 
> As most of you know, I have seven stories that I am working on right now. I have a system that I (hopefully) plan on using. So those you follow my work, here is how I plan on posting and what story will be updated next. (Love Me as I Am is excluded from this list because it is co-authored with AvacadoHaught):
> 
> The next story that I will be updating next is: I'll Fight for What I Want (Even if it Kills Me)
> 
> This is the list of the following stories that will be updated in order after my medieval AU(updating next):
> 
> You're a... I'm a... What?  
> Land and Sea (You're the One for Me)  
> My Past That Haunts Me  
> And Then You Happened  
> The Homestead Stables
> 
> As a heads up though, depending on how fast I can type each chapter, when Friday, December 21st rolls around, I will be busy because it's my oldest daughter birthday. So if 'The Homestead Stables' is the next story that I'm supposed to update, please bear with me, and I'll post whenever I ever I can, whether its Thursday or Saturday or even early Friday morning.
> 
> Also the murder part of this story will be happening soon. Just have to figure out who I'm killing off.


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wynonna face's one of her worse nightmares! 
> 
> Nicole and Waverly find out the extent of damage that Champ caused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the next chapter of my first murder mystery! You'll notice that I've added a new tag: minor character death.  
> For intent and purpose's, I am putting a Trigger Warning on this chapter for a character death and blood. 
> 
> Please read with care folks! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Shortly after Champ left the barn, grumbling about a stupid Sheriff and its dumbass kid, Wynonna followed him after him. She never liked the boy-man from the beginning, and when the older Earp found out that he was dating her little sister, that morning, it only made her hate the guy even more. Why? Champ was known for sleeping with lots of women, and during the last time she was home, the two ended up sleeping together in a drunken haze. Whether Waverly and Champ were already dating at the time, Wynonna wasn’t really sure. Her only hope was that they weren’t.    
  
“Gunner, shoo,” Wynonna whispered to the dog that had run over to the newest scent on the land. She still swore that it was a bear and quite frankly, her mind wasn’t about to change about that. For a split second, the darker brunette felt bad for shooing the dog away, but she needed to make sure that Champ didn’t cause any more trouble than he already had.  
  
Tearing her gaze away from the treating, pouting dog, Wynonna looked ahead and realized that she had lost sight of the boy-man. “Shit!” She mumbled. It didn’t take long to find Champ though. He made noise inside the house, and from the sound of it, he was rummaging through the cabinets.  
  
Quietly, the older Earp continued to follow Champ. She crept up onto the front porch and peered through the window. Instantly, Wynonna felt like a creeper, a peeping Tom no less, for watching Waverly’s boyfriend from afar, but she just didn’t trust him. Something felt off to her, and she didn’t understand why. As Wynonna tore her eyes away from Champ, she looked out around the barnyard. Surprisingly it was quiet for how many kids there were, but they all had chores to do so it made sense that there was hardly any noise at that moment.  
  
Making a few glances around the yard, Wynonna looked back into the house and realized that Champ was no longer there. She went inside to see if maybe he had gone upstairs to sleep off more of his hangover, but after doing a quick search throughout all the rooms, the older Earp came to the conclusion that she wouldn’t make a great detective. If she had just looked at the backdoor, she would have noticed that it was wide opened inside of being closed like it was supposed to be. Walking out the backdoor and making sure to close it, Wynonna scratched the back of her while looking back and forth. “Where the hell could he have gone to so quickly?”

  
…

  
Walking around aimlessly for a couple of hours, Wynonna decided to give up hope on finding Champ. She wasn’t too far from the stables but still far enough that it would take just over ten minutes to get back to the barn. Just as the darker brunette began heading back, she heard noise coming from behind her. Usually, she would have ignored it and carried on as if nothing happened, but for some reason, her ‘gut feeling’ told her to check it out.  
  
Being directly on the riding trail, it made things easier when it came to being quiet. There weren’t many branches in the way or leaves all over the place, which was surprising considering she was in the woods, but Wynonna wasn’t going to question it. There were better things to worry about than spotless riding trails. As the older Earp got closer, a gunshot rang out. Instead of running away from it, she ran towards it. Wynonna wasn’t sure what or who she would find, but the scene that she came upon was not what she was expecting.  
  
Champ Hardy was kneeling over someone and Wynonna couldn’t tell what exactly he was doing to the person's abdomen, but she highly doubted it was anything good. So, the older Earp did what she usually did and went over to pull the boy-man off the whoever it was. Yet, when she got closer everything she had planned on doing, had changed.  
  
The body wasn’t just some random person, it was Jonas Gallagher. A man that she knew deeply, intimately, in a way that most people dreamed about being with a person. They had known each other for years and sadly lost contact for a short while. Then the unthinkable happened, and they ended up finding one another a few years back. Now, he was lying motionless on the ground with Champ freaking Hardy hovering over him.  
  
Wynonna ran forward, pushing Champ away from Jonas. That was when she saw all the blood seeping from a bullet wound to his stomach. “What did you do!” She screamed at the boy-man who was trying to kick himself away.  
  
“Jonas.” The older Earp refocused on the bleeding man in front of her. She tried finding a pulse on his wrists but couldn’t feel anything. “No! No no no no!” Wynonna not really knowing what to do at that point, but also too hysterical to realize or comprehend much of anything, began putting pressure on the wound with her hands.  
  
It could have been seconds or hours, Wynonna wasn’t really sure, but at some point, she gave up and instead, held Jonas tightly in her arms. She never wanted to let go. He was a decent man and treated her right, and now he was gone. All thanks to Champ freaking Hardy.

  
…

  
The ride back to the stables was probably one of the longest car ride's Waverly had ever had to endure. Her mind was racing a million miles a minute yet that speed just didn’t seem to match Nicole’s driving. Her boyfriend had taken her shotgun, walked to wherever on her property and then fired it off towards the barn. The brunette kept circling back to ‘what if’s.’ What if the bullet hadn’t hit the barn? What if it had hit a horse, or worse, one her students? _What in the hell was Champ thinking?_  
  
Shortly before leaving the hospital Nicole had gotten a call from the station. Reports of a single gunshot being heard by The Homestead Stables and then a report from Gus McCready of a gun going off then finding the bullet in-lodged in the barn. If she didn’t have to take Ronnie to get stitches on her arm, she would have started investigating. Even if she technically wasn’t supposed too. They were understaffed, so the likelihood of not working the case was slim to none.  
  
As they got closer to the Homestead, Ronnie, the ever-observant twelve-year-old that she was, decided to point out the obvious. “Mom, why are there so many squad cars and why  does that look like a body bag on the ground?”  
  
“Nicole, you never told me what was said on the phone! What the _hell_ is going on?” Waverly growled, not caring about what words came out her mouth.     
  
“I’m not sure, Waverly. I wasn’t told that a body was found! I swear this news to me!” Nicole said earnestly.  
  
The closer they got to the barn the easier it was to see the scene unfold. Champ was being escorted to one of the cruisers with hands cuffed behind his back. The shirt and pair of jeans he was wearing was covered in blood, almost saturated. Waverly could tell that her boyfriend was resisting Officer Lonnie Carlson and that Lonnie was having a hard time getting the man to corporate with him as well. Words were being spewed from Champ’s mouth, but it seemed like no one was listening to him.  
  
Before Nicole could park the truck, Waverly was jumping out and running towards the barn. As she got closer, the more she wished she had stayed in the vehicle. The youngest Earp stopped in her tracks when she saw that Gus and Curtis were in tears, both with a hand on Wynonna’s shoulder, who was kneeling on the ground with her own hands covering her face. What caught the brunette’s attention the most, was the blood staining her sister's clothes.    
  
After a beat, Waverly sprung back into action and continued running towards her family. When Wynonna came into better view, the instructor trailed her eyes up and down her sister's body to see if she could spot any wounds that would clarify for the blood. Seeing none, Waverly let out a breath she didn’t know she holding. The brunette stopped just shy of the small group and dropped to the ground, desperately wanting to comfort her older sister but wasn’t quite sure how Wynonna would react to the sudden movement.  
  
“What happened?” Waverly whispered.  
  
“H-h-he’s gone.” Wynonna stammered.  
  
“Wynonna, who? Who’s gone?”  
  
“Jo-Jonas.”  
  
Waverly gasped. Jonas Gallagher was one of her recent hires over the last six months. He was a man that came looking for a second chance in town that basically shunned him after joining the Bandito’s Gang shortly after graduating high school. Jonas had started working at a Pussy Willow’s, the local strip joint, after turning twenty-one to make ends meet when it came to his bills. After leaving the gang, Jonas moved back to Purgatory and Waverly was the only person willing to give him a job, the second chance that he hoped would happen.  
  
During high school, Wynonna and Jonas were an ‘item.’ They were on and off all throughout her junior and senior year, and as soon as Jonas graduated, he stopped talking to the older Earp all together. Waverly wasn’t sure if the two ever reconnected over the years, but by how her older sister was acting and balling her eyes out, she guessed that they probably had. Her heart ached for Wynonna knowing full well how it felt to lose someone close to you that you cared about, or even loved.  
  
“Wynonna? Please, tell me what happened?”

…

  
When Nicole finally parked the truck, she leaned forward and rested her head on the steering wheel. She knew Waverly was upset before they arrived at the ranch and now, the brunette was quite possibly mad at her for not informing her about a body being found. The Sheriff was telling the truth though. When Lonnie called her, he never mentioned anything of the sorts, and if he had, she would have pulled Waverly to the side and told her what was happening on her land. It was the right thing to do, and Nicole wasn’t the kind of person to let that kind of information be dropped on someone last minute, especially someone like Waverly Earp.  
  
“C’mon, kiddo. I need to face the music.” Nicole exhaled loudly and opened her door. As both redheads exiting the truck, Gunner came trotting over to them. “Ronnie, why don’t you go play with Gunner? Maybe even go around back and check on the new puppy, please?”  
  
“Mom, what is going on? You never answered my questions before Waverly jumped out!” Ronnie exclaimed while scratching the top of Gunner’s head.  
  
“From looks of it, something terrible. Right now, I need you away from the scene as it not a place for you to be at, at the moment... I’ll call Shae. Have her come pick you up.”  
  
“No!” Nicole eyed at her daughter suspiciously. “Waverly told me I could be in the house whenever I want.”  
  
“When’d she say that?”  
  
“A while ago. You and Shae were busy at work one day and couldn’t pick me up on time. She said I was always welcome in her home.”  
  
Nicole’s face soften. _Waverly is a sweetheart, a saint, and quite possibly deserved the world._ “Okay.” She breathed out. “Please head inside for now. Get away from all this. Don’t need you getting nightmares again.” Ronnie nodded and started walking towards the house, with Gunner by her side.  
  
The Sheriff shook her head and began walking towards Lonnie. She needed a full recap of what happened and how dead body got into the mix. Unfortunately, that also meant figuring out suspects, and so far, there was only two, Waverly’s boyfriend, Champ Hardy and the girl’s older sister, Wynonna Earp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I proved Wynonna is innocent, but in the eye's of law enforcement, they may not see it that way.  
>   
> Questions to ask:
> 
>   * Why was Jonas out in the woods in the first place?
>   * Who had the gun initially? 
>   * Did Champ kill Jonas on purpose, by accident, or was it self-defense? 
> 

> 
> Things to remember:
> 
>   * Wynonna was nowhere in sight during the shooting. (Like I stated above)
>   * Champ was still drunk at the time.  
>   * The bullet went right threw Jonas, hence why it hit the barn.
>   * **Things aren't always as it seems.**
> 

> 
> To those who are wondering and follow any of my stories, the next one I am updating will be 'I'll Fight for What I Want(Even if it Kills Me).' followed by 'You're a... I'm a... What?'
> 
> If you're ever wondering which story I am posting next, check out my works page and whatever story is above 'I Dare You' is the next one.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole does her interrogation with Wynonna; Waverly and Ronnie show up at the precinct unexpectedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took a little while! I am doing my best on writing so many fics and starting another one! There is more on that at the end, by the way. 
> 
> ALSO!
> 
> Before you begin, go back to chapter four and read the endnotes on the questions to ask and things to remember. Please pay attention to the conversations because there is a line that will make a difference to the rest of the story. I will have more endnote questions at the end!

_“You can’t throw my sister in jail Nicole! She didn’t do anything! Plus, she’s barely been here for twelve hours!”_  
  
_“Look, Waverly, I’m only doing my job. She’s covered in the victim's blood and was at the scene of the crime when my deputies found the body along with Champ. When the gun went off, she was nowhere in sight. Just like Champ, wasn’t. Right now, all I want to do is hear her side of the story.”_  
  
_“So she’s one of your suspects?”_  
  
_“What do you want me to do, Waverly? You want me to forget about the fact that Wynonna is covered in someone blood? You want me to treat her differently because she’s your sister, though you haven’t seen her in five years? You want me to forget that I’m the Sheriff, who also has a daughter, that ended up with stitches on her arm because the horse she was on got spooked from the sound of a gunshot? Veronica could have been hit by the same bullet that killed the victim. Hell, it could have killed her as well. She’s your student, Waverly, along with fourteen others that could have been hurt. Think about them first, before your sister.”_  
  
_“Of course I think of them first! How dare you insinuate that I don’t.”_  
  
_“Think of it this way, if one of them gotten hit by that bullet, wouldn’t you want to know why Wynonna was found out in the woods with the victim and the gun that was used to kill him? I want answers, Waverly, and they start with her sister and Champ. Now if you’ll excuse, I have an interrogation to do and thank you for agreeing to watch Veronica for me. I’ll be back later to pick her up.”_

…

  
Nicole never meant to argue with Waverly before leaving the Homestead with Wynonna Earp in the back her squad car. It was the standard operating procedure, and she had to follow it. Like the redhead told the instructor, she was the Sheriff, which meant she had upheld that title and couldn’t ignore her job just because she had a crush on Waverly. She took an oath, and the Sheriff would be damn if she went against it all because of a pretty girl that made her heart skip a beat every time they were near each other.  
  
When they arrived at the precinct, Nicole was surprised by how little the older Earp didn’t put up a fight. Wynonna sulked her way through the entire building, with her head down and eyes locked on the floor. The Sheriff felt terrible for her. She had just lost someone that she knew, but at the same time, the redhead knew not to put too much into as it could have been a ploy to get away with murder. Nicole had seen it happen so many times in the city when she was a deputy, so she knew what signs to look for.  
  
Instead of bringing Wynonna straight to the cell, the Sheriff decided to head for the girl's locker room. She wanted to give the darker brunette some privacy to change out of her bloody clothes and to shower so she could rid whatever blood was on her skin. It was the least Nicole could do before interrogating her and possibly locking her up depending on the evidence that was collected. The redhead stayed in the room, far enough away for the older Earp to undress and shower alone but close enough to know if the woman tried to do anything stupid. Showered and changed into PSD sweatpants and t-shirt, Wynonna walked back towards the bullpen, before she could reach the Sheriff's office, the redhead had pulled her into the interrogation room.  
  
“Please take a seat, Ms.Earp. Let me first start by saying that I’m sorry for your loss. Unfortunately part of this is that-.”  
  
“You have to ask me if I killed Jonas or not?” Wynonna said flatly.  
  
“Look, Earp. You were found at the scene of the crime, with the victim's blood on your clothes. My deputies also found your sisters shotgun near the scene and I’m gonna take a guess here that if I ran some tests, it showed me that the gun was recently fired.”  
  
“How do you know if my sister wasn't the one that fired it recently and not myself or Champ the Chump?”  
  
Nicole rolled her eyes and did her best not to be completely annoyed at the older Earp. Sure, Wynonna had a point, but the Sheriff also knew that Waverly always updated parents if she had to fire off her shotgun for any reason. With that thought in mind, she wondered just how much the darker haired woman actually knew about her little sister's life or the business she ran. The redhead knew that the Earp girls hadn’t seen each other in years, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t any communication during that time. Whatever the reason was, Nicole decided to ignore the question and proceeded with the interrogation.

…

  
A half an hour later, the redhead walked out of the room and closed the door, leaving Wynonna to her own devices. The darker haired woman went through the whole explanation of how she got a bad feeling after Waverly told her boyfriend to leave the property but hadn’t. By the end of the interview, the older Earp was in tears, explaining how after she heard the gunshot, she ran towards the sound and found Champ hovering over Jonas’s body. Nicole learned that Wynonna never liked or trusted the man the second he entered Waverly’s life and like she had said before, she had a gut-wrenching feeling that something wasn’t right when Champ started stumbling to the house versus leaving the property like he was supposed too.  
  
A loud shout coming from the other side of the room brought Nicole out of her thoughts. She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. Champ hadn’t stopped yelling since he was thrown into his cell, spewing how he was allowed one phone call and deserved it. Technically, he was right. Unfortunately, the Sheriff also knew who he was going to call if he hadn’t done so already. Though, before Nicole could tell the man to be quiet and that she be taking him into the interrogation room next, the door to the bullpen slammed open, and Waverly came walking with Ronnie hot on heels.  
  
“Mom!” Ronnie exclaimed as she saw her mother. “Waverly got called-.”  
  
 “Champ, be quiet!” Waverly's voice rung out, silencing whatever Veronica was about to say. “Not only did you call me but Lonnie also called to tell me that you wouldn’t shut up about how you don’t deserve to be here and that the only way you would shut up, was if I came down here. Well, I’m here. What do you want?”  
  
“Babe, you got to bail me out. Tell these pigs that I didn’t murder anyone.”  
  
“Oh no, I will do no such thing, Champ! I told you to leave _my_ property, and you failed to do so. If you had actually listened to me, you wouldn’t be in this mess, and an innocent man wouldn’t be dead.”  
  
“You think I did it? Jonas was the one who had the gun. I tried to stop him from whatever the hell he was doing!” Champ yelled in aggravation.  
  
“Why don’t I believe you, Champ? Oh, that's right, you lie to my face all the time, so why should I believe you now? I know it sounds harsh, but look where we’re at. You’re behind bars because you’re a suspect for murder and you want me to bail _you_ out. I’m sorry Champ, but if I’m shelling out any money tonight, it’ll be for my sister. You need to learn that your actions have consequences."  
  
“Babe, come on, don’t be like that. Bail me out,” Champ started and then lowered his voice an octave. “And we can go back to your place so I can help you shut off that brain of yours.” The man pushed his pelvis out lightly then saw the look on the brunette’s face. If he thought that his girlfriend was mad before when she came storming in, he didn’t plan on Waverly getting furious at his choice of words.  
  
“I don’t want my brain shut off! If you can’t be bothered to take this situation seriously, then we’re done. Yeah, we’re done Champ. I can’t keep doing this. Even if you are telling the truth, I’m tired of having to come to pick you up here three times a week because you're drunk. I told you to sober up, you didn’t listen. Now, you’re paying for it.” When Waverly was done, she turned on her heel and saw that Nicole and Ronnie were still standing by the door to the Sheriff’s office. They looked like they were deep in conversation, but she wasn’t really sure.  
  
“Hey,” The brunette softly said, all her anger towards Champ disbursing, as she broke the conversation between the two redheads. “I already talked to all the parents when they came to pick up their kids. Lessons will be on hold until further notice, or at least for the next week or two.” Waverly explained. “I don’t need people thinking that the Homestead isn’t a safe place for their kids to learn anymore, so I think it’s best to take a break for a bit. I told those who own horses at the Homestead that they’ll be taken care of so they don’t have to try and find another stable of them. I’m really sorry, Ronnie. I know you always look forward to riding every day.”  
  
“I get it, but if it’s all right with my mom, I’d still like to come over and help. I know you have farmhands but, what's the point in riding if you don’t help take care of your animals? It’s all about the experience, right?” Waverly nodded, breathing in deeply in hopes of not letting the unshed tears that began to build behind her eyes, fall.  
  
“Mmhmm.” The instructor hummed. “Where’s my sister?” Waverly asked Nicole, needing to change the subject.  
  
The Sheriff led Waverly and Ronnie into her office and closed the door behind her. “She’s still in the interrogation room. She asked if she could stay in there for some privacy; Officer Douglas is waiting on the outside until she can compose herself. Your sister has been through a lot today, and as of right now, I don’t have much evidence to keep her locked up.” Nicole saw Waverly’s eyes widen with fear before softening from the realization of what she had just said. “You can bring her home. Keep an eye on her and don’t let her leave town until this case is closed.”  
  
“Do you think Wynonna’s telling the truth? That she didn’t do it?”  
  
“I don’t know yet.”  
  
“I’m waiting for the analysis to come back, and that will tell me if your sister's story is true or not. Off the record, and it stays in this room, Ronnie, no opening your mouth about what you’re about to hear,” Nicole smiled when her daughter shoved her pointer fingers in her ears. “I don’t think she did. Her story is to genuine, and from what I read from Champ’s statement, they do match up on time frame of when Wynonna showed up on the scene. As of right now, your sister is innocent, but until we find more evidence,”  
  
“Don’t let her leave town.” Waverly interrupted and then turned her head to make eye contact with Ronnie and nodded her head so the girl could unplug her ears. “Thank you, Nicole. I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier. You didn’t deserve that. You’re only trying to do your job, and I respect that, I really do.”  
  
“It’s okay, Waves. Honestly, it is. You were concerned about your sister, and that’s okay. Also, thank you for watching Ronnie.”  
  
“Yeah, thank you for letting me stay, Waverly.” Veronica happily jumped up from the couch and hugged the brunette.  
  
Nicole watched the interaction and couldn’t help but smile. It showed that Waverly loved her daughter. The two had a connection the moment they met years ago, it had only gotten stronger since Ronnie started taking lessons at the Homestead. She had wished the smaller redhead shared that same connection with Shae but now that the two were separated and the divorce was slowly making its way to being finalized, maybe it was time to start moving forward.  
  
Ronnie had always told her that she should be happy and be with someone that also wanted kids, not be disappointed in bring one home so they wouldn’t go through the foster care system. It was odd how intelligent her daughter was also when it came to relationships, but in all honesty, Veronica was right, and maybe her crush on a certain brunette that was currently still in a tight embrace with her daughter could possibly go from a crush to a relationship. Well, first she had a murder to solve and let Waverly have some time to be single before Nicole acted on her feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it was mean of me to have Waverly break up with Champ right now, but Waverly had a valid point, and she snapped!
> 
> Anyway! 
> 
> Questions to ask:  
> 
> 
>   * Is Champ telling the truth?
> 

>   * Did Jonas already have the gun when Champ found him in the woods?
> 

>   * If Champ found Jonas with the gun, what was Jonas's plan on using it for?
> 

>   * Will evidence prove Wynonna's innocence?
> 

> 
> Things to remember:  
> 
> 
>   * Champ will say anything to get himself out of trouble.
> 

>   * Waverly is scary when pissed off!
> 

>   * In real life, evidence can and sometimes does get tampered with.
> 
> To those who are wondering and follow any of my stories, the next one I am updating will be 'I'll Fight for What I Want(Even if it Kills Me).' followed by 'You're a... I'm a... What?'
> 
> Also! Check out the first sneak peek to my newest fic on Tumblr. To read, just click [here.](https://cwinter1994.tumblr.com/post/183427740144/wayhaught-kidnappedmissing-au-sneek-peek-1)
> 
> 


**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on: [Tumblr](https://cwinter1994.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Cwinter1994)


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